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The Best Squares in Savannah to Sit, Sip & Do Absolutely Nothing
Forsyth, Chippewa, and beyond — a local's guide to which squares are worth your afternoon, your picnic blanket, and your iced coffee.
By Jennifer Rancourt ·
Why Savannah's Squares
Most cities give you one pretty park and call it a day. Savannah gave you twenty-two — laid out in a tidy grid back in the 1730s, shaded by live oaks the size of small buildings, dripping with Spanish moss like the whole place is wearing costume jewelry.
Here's the thing nobody tells you: the squares aren't a checklist. They're an invitation to do nothing, beautifully. A bench. A coffee. A book you won't actually read because you'll be too busy watching a horse-drawn carriage clop by. This is a city that was practically designed for the art of the long, unbothered afternoon — and you, my dear, have earned one.
You don't need to see all twenty-two. You need to know which five or six are worth your time, your iced latte, and that picnic blanket you keep meaning to use. Two days is plenty. Let's go sit down.
Getting There
Fly into Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) — it's small, walkable, and about 20 minutes from the Historic District. Grab a rideshare downtown and you'll be under the oaks before your phone finishes charging.
Pro move: once you're downtown, park the car and don't touch it again. Everything worth seeing here is a shady 10-to-15-minute walk apart. The squares are the transportation plan.
Compare Flights to Savannah via WayAwayWhere to Stay
Location is everything here. Stay inside the square grid and you'll be able to walk home for a nap — which, for the record, is a completely valid vacation activity.
The Splurge
Check RatesThe Mansion on Forsyth Park
South end of Forsyth — Bold Art & Spa
Right on the park, so you roll out of bed and into the prettiest green space in the city. Bold art, a spa, and a rooftop that knows exactly what it's doing.
Boutique Sweet Spot
Check RatesThe Kimpton Brice
Near City Market — Free Wine Hour
A few blocks from the river, walkable to a dozen squares, and it comes with the Kimpton things you actually want: a free wine hour and a lobby that doesn't take itself too seriously.
The Charmer
Check RatesThe Gastonian
Near Monterey Square — 1868 Mansions Turned Inn
A pair of 1868 mansions tucked between Monterey and the residential quiet. Fireplaces, a real Southern breakfast, and a garden courtyard made for a glass of something cold.
Want more options? Browse all Savannah hotels on Booking.com →
What to Do: A Square-by-Square Afternoon
The plan is that there's barely a plan. Here's the order I'd wander them in — coffee in hand, no rush, phone on Do Not Disturb.
Start: Chippewa Square
Yes, the Forrest Gump bench square. (The bench is in a museum now, but the magnolia-shaded corners are as photogenic as ever, and General Oglethorpe stands guard in bronze right in the middle.) It's the liveliest of the bunch — artists sketching, a musician or two, excellent people-watching.
Grab your first coffee at Gallery Espresso on the corner — Savannah's original coffeehouse, and it sits on one of the prettiest streets in the city. Order it iced. Sit outside. Begin.
Wander South: Madison & Monterey
Two blocks down Bull Street from Chippewa you'll hit Madison Square, home to a cluster of the good stuff — including Franklin's at Liberty and Bull, which does a Lavender Latte and a Lemon Bar Latte that are worth breaking your no-second-coffee rule for.
Keep going to Monterey Square — the crown jewel, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. This is the one with the wrought-iron balconies, the towering oaks, and the Mercer-Williams House on its edge (yes, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil — you're standing in it). If you only sit in one square all weekend, make it this one.
Detour East: Lafayette Square
Worth the two-block hop for the postcard view of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist rising over the treetops, plus the little fountain that makes the whole square feel like a secret. Mirabelle is right here when you need a refuel.
The Grand Finale: Forsyth Park
Save the best sitting for last. Forsyth is the 30-acre showstopper at the south end of the grid, and the cast-iron fountain — modeled on the ones in Paris, framed by oaks and moss — is the single most photographed thing in Savannah for a reason.
This is your picnic-blanket moment. Spread out on the grass, watch the joggers and the wedding photographers and the dogs, and do the thing you actually came here to do: nothing at all.
If you want a little structure between all the sitting, these are the two bookable experiences worth paying for:
The squares hit different once the streetlamps come on.
What to Pack
A day of professional lounging still requires the right gear.
- A packable picnic blanket — Forsyth's grass is calling and you'll want a barrier between you and the ants. Shop picnic blankets →
- Comfortable-but-cute walking flats — you'll cover a couple of miles of cobblestone and brick without noticing. Leave the heels. Shop walking flats →
- An insulated tumbler — for keeping that iced coffee cold in the Georgia warmth, square to square. Shop tumblers →
- A wide-brim hat — the oaks throw shade but not everywhere, and midday sun means business. Shop sun hats →
- A lightweight linen layer — mornings are soft, afternoons are humid, and you want to be ready for both. Shop linen layers →
- A real book (or a very good magazine) — you're going to sit on a bench for an hour and you're going to love it. Shop travel reads →
The GGC Bottom Line
Savannah is not a city you conquer. It's a city you sink into — one bench, one fountain, one impossibly shady corner at a time.
Skip the frantic itinerary. Pick your squares, keep your coffee cold, and let the afternoon do what it wants with you. The moss isn't in a hurry and neither are you.
Chippewa for the people-watching. Monterey for the beauty. Forsyth for the grand finale. That's the whole assignment.
Sit down. We'll save you a bench.
Quick Trip Details
| Best time to visit | March–May (azaleas + perfect bench weather) or October–November |
| Getting there | Fly into SAV, rideshare downtown, then walk everywhere |
| Trip length | 2 days — one to wander, one to do less |
| Vibe | Shady, unhurried, mossy, Southern |
| Best for | Slow-travel lovers, coffee wanderers, anyone who needs permission to sit still |
Find & Book Your Savannah Stay
Frequently Asked Questions
How many of Savannah's squares should we actually see?
You don't need all twenty-two — five or six is plenty for a relaxed weekend. Focus on Chippewa for people-watching, Monterey for the beauty, and Forsyth Park for the grand finale.
Is Savannah's Historic District walkable?
Very. Once you're downtown, park the car and don't touch it again — the squares are a shady 10-to-15-minute walk apart and are basically the whole transportation plan.
When's the best time to visit for the squares?
Aim for March through May, when the azaleas bloom and the bench weather is perfect, or October through November. Both seasons give you shade, comfortable temperatures, and unhurried afternoons.
Where should we grab coffee while square-hopping?
Start at Gallery Espresso on Chippewa Square — Savannah's original coffeehouse — and order it iced. Franklin's near Madison Square does a lavender latte worth breaking your no-second-coffee rule for.